Switch mechanism



' (No Model.)

' T. S. MITCHELL.

SWITCH MEGHANISM. l No. 475,087. PateIitedMay 17, 1892.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. s. MITCHELL. SWITCH MEGHANISM.

Patented May '17, 1892.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,087, dated May 17,1892. Application filed February 25, 1891. Serial No. 382,732. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Switch Mechanism, of which improvements the following isa specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements inmechanism for closing switches by a projection from the engine movingalong the main track.

A great number of accidents on railroads arise through neglect to closethe switch after a train has passed into or from a siding, the

result being that a train not intended to enter the `siding will beturned thereinto and collide with another train or else be derailed.

The object of this invention is to provide mechanism located a suitabledistance from the switch-rail and connected thereto adapted byengagement with some part of the engine on the main track to shift theswitch-rails which have been left open to clear main track.

In general terms the invention consists in the construction andcombination, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, Figure1 is a plan View of a portion of the main track and siding, theswitch-rails having my improvement connected thereto. Fig. 2 is asectional elevation on the line in, Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are side andfront elevations of an engine having the devices for operating thevswitchshifting mechanism attached thereto. Fig. 5 is an end view of theengine, having a modiiication of the operatin g device applied thereto;and Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 'y y, Fig. 1, showing themodification represented in dotted lines.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the movable switch-rails l areconnected by a bar 2 to an arm 18, secured to or formed integral withthe lever 17, and to said arm is also connected one end of a rod 19, theopposite end of said rod being attached to the operating-lever 2O at apoint outside of its pivotal point. At a suitable distance on each sideof the switch-rail are arranged rails 9, which are so pivoted at one endthat the opposite end may be swung to permit of a proj ection on anengine engaging therewith and shifting it. The free ends of these rails9 are connected by rods 10 with one of the arms of the bell-crank levers11,the other arms being connected by rods 12 to the ends of the lever17. The lever 17 is so arranged and connected that when the switch-railsare shifted to clear main line the free ends of the rails 9 are held soas to be out of line with the projection on the engine; but when thelever is turned to shift the switch-rails for the siding the rails 9will be so shifted that a projection 14. on the engine passing along themain-line will engage and shift the rails 9, thereby turning the lever17 and shifting the switchrails to clear main line. As shown in Figs. 4.and 5, this projection -14 may form part ofthe pilot of the engine andbe so hinged or pivoted thereto as to be movable in and out, asrequired, in order to pass over or engage the shifting rails 9, asdescribed. The projection 14 is connected by rods 15 andsuitably-arranged bell-crank levers with an operatinglever 1G in the cabof the engine.

It will be understeod that when a trainis to move into the siding, theswitch-rails having been properly adjusted, it will be necessary toshift the projection 14 in, as otherwise it would engage the rails 9 andclose the switch-rails. At allother times the projection 14 may be keptout., so as to close an improperly-set switch.

The arm 18 is so attached to the lever 17 that when the switch-rails 1have been shifted for the siding the arm and rod 2 will lie in a plane alittle one side of the pivotal point of the lever 17, thereby lockingthe switch-rails against accidental movement, and the operating-lever 20is so connected to the rod 19 that when the parts are in the positionshown in Fig. 1 the point of connection a of the rod 1910 the lever willbe above the pivotal point b of said lever, but will be below suchpivotal point when the lever is thrown over to shiftV the switch-railsto clear main line. By this construction and arrangement of parts thelever can be thrown over by the movement of the rails 9 when in theposition shown in Fig. 1, and will also lock the switch-rails whenshifted to clear main line.

In lieu of the rods 12 and their bell-crank connections a bar 22 may bemounted in suit- IOO able bearings alongside of the track, as indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 1, said bar being provided with slotted arms 23and 24, which are connected, as shown in Fig. 6, to the rails 9 and themovable switch-rails 1.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modiiied arrangement of the projection 14 and itsoperating mechanism, the latter consisting of a cylinder 25, connectedat a point above its piston to a snitable source ot' duid-pressure. Thepiston and the projection connected thereto are normally held in suchposition as not to engage the rails by a spring 26, interposedbetweenthe piston and the lower cylinder-head. i

It will be observed that my device is not intended to operate as anautomatic switch mechanism in the general acceptation of the term, butis designed to. be used solely to restore a switch to clear main linewhen it has been accidentally left open to the siding.

I claim herei-n as my invention- 1. In a switch mechanisnnthecombination of movable switchrails, vshifting rails arranged alongsideot' the main track at a distance from the switch, a main lever 17,having its ends connected by rods and bell-cranks to the shifting railsand provided with an arm pivotally connected with the switch-rod, thearm being arranged at such an angle to the main lever that theswitch-rod, arm, and pivotal point of the main lever will form astraight connection with the switch-rails when the latter are set forthe siding, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch mechanism, the combination of Y movable switch rails,shifting rails arranged alongside of the track at a distance from theswitch, and a main lever having its ends connected to the shifting railsand provided with an arm pivotally connected to the switch-rods, saidarm being arranged at such an angle to the lever as to lock theswitchrails as against accidental movement when open to the siding, anda hand-operated mechanism connected to the arm on the main lever Y andadapted to shift the switch-rails and lock them at clear main line,substantially as set i forth.

3. Ina switch mechanism,the combination I ot'v movable switch-rails,shifting rails arranged alongside of the track at a distance kfrom theswitch, amain lever 17'-, having its ends connected to the shiftingrails and pro- 'vided with an arm pivotally connected to theswitch-rods, said armA being arranged at `such an angle to the lever asto lock the switch-rails as against accidental movement when open to thesiding, a movable projection on an engine, adapted to engage theshiftling rails when the switch-rails are open to siding, and ahand-operated mechanism connected to the arm on the main lever and adaptl ed to shift the switch-rails and lock them to

